Shepard Smith, one of Fox News’s leading anchors and a frequent target of President Trump, abruptly stepped down from the network on Friday, departing with little explanation after 23 years on the air.
Smith, Fox News’s chief news anchor and host of its afternoon news program “Shepard Smith Reporting,” said the decision to leave was his own but gave no further reason for his resignation. He signed off with a brief statement, surprising even his colleagues. Fox News said Friday’s program would be Smith’s last.
Smith has been at Fox News since its founding in 1996 and is one of its signature figures. He was among the first people hired by Fox News’s co-founder, the late Roger Ailes, for the network’s launch. His recent tenure, however, has been marked by conflict and criticism, not just from President Trump but from within the network itself.